


I am the Ghost of my Past

by Innocentfighter



Series: Inquisitor Alessandra Cousland, Hero of Ferelden [9]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Background Sten (Dragon Age), Ben-Hassrath, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Iron Bull is a Good Friend, Secret Identity, Trauma, Warden Inquisitor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 20:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16960584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Innocentfighter/pseuds/Innocentfighter
Summary: Iron Bull knows the Inquisitor hides things, he just didn’t think that she really was the Hero of Ferelden





	I am the Ghost of my Past

**Author's Note:**

> So out comes the secret.

“I’m Ben-Hassrath, remember?”

Ally frowns and turns to Bull, “I apologize if I’ve given you the impression that I don’t recall that fact.”

“Hm,” Bull eyes her, “you haven’t. But I know you have secrets.”

“You probably already know them,” Ally raises an eyebrow.

Bull chuckles, “no, I don’t. You don’t have anything personal on you, and I don’t know what to ask you to figure out your tells.”

“So, I’ve stumped the all-knowing Ben-Hassrath?” Ally feels her lips quirk upwards.

“Not exactly,” Bull says, “I think I’m on to something.”

Ally tilts her head, “and what’s that?”

“You might hide from everyone, but that’s because you can’t smother your emotions, they’re in your eyes.”

“And, what? I’ve been too emotional lately?”

Bull shakes his head, “not in the way you’re implying.”

Ally knows where this conversation is going.

“You had a connection with the Wardens,” Bull says, “maybe it was just to Alistair, but it was there.”

“It’s not past tense,” Ally finds herself saying.

She’s tired of hiding it, especially from someone who already found her out.

“I wondered as much. Alistair, the man who should have been king,” Bull says, “you knew him personally.”

“Alistair was only meant to be king because of blood and manipulation by one of the Arls,” Ally remarks.

“But you don’t deny knowing him personally? Did he save you during the Blight?”

Ally shrugs, “a few times he saved me, and I saved him the rest of the time.”

“So, you _are_ her.”

“Depends on who you’re referring to,” Ally turns towards him.

Bull is silent for a few seconds. He nods to himself.

“You’re the Hero of Ferelden, Warden-Commander.”

Ally sighs, “that’s me.”

Bull doesn’t look surprised so much as awed. She’d be surprised herself, but she’s used to the experience. Everyone seems to have great respect for the woman who killed the Archdemon.

“We had a Sten return to us from Ferelden,” Bull says.

“Sten made it back? I’m glad.”

“You turned his title into his name?” Bull laughs.

Ally grins, “well, he didn’t give me much else to go one, _and_ I didn’t know much about the Qunari.”

“He spoke of the Warden with great respect, more so than we thought he might. You returned his sword and honor to him, that is not something to be taken lightly.”

Bull looks wistful.

“He was my friend,” Ally says plainly.

“And Alistair your husband. Morrigan a friend and Leliana a sister.”

Ally remembers the long camps she had with them, “yes.”

Bull looks towards the horizon, “damn.”

They’re silent for a few minutes.

“You save the continent from a Blight, and then you get to save all of Ferelden from a Darkspawn with a god-complex,” Bull says, “how’d you get so unlucky.”

“Varric says it is kind of Ansraste’s thing,” Ally shrugs, “how much do you know of the Hero of Ferelden’s tale.”

“About as much as I’ve said. We didn’t much care about the drama, just that the blight was stopped.”

Ally looks back to the skyline, “you should ask Varric for the story sometime.”

Bull raises an eyebrow, “why not just ask you?”

“Because, I’m afraid that my version is a tragedy,” Ally sighs.

“I see.”

Bull is quiet again. Ally can tell he has more questions but he’s trying not to seem like he’s prying. Sten was similar in that respect, but typically he gave up after a few seconds and spoke as bluntly as possible. If only everyone were like him these days.

“You sacrificed your husband to save Hawke,” Bull says finally.

“We’re Wardens,” Ally shrugs, “sacrificing ourselves is practically the job description.”

Bull looks at her again, then he nods, “you don’t seem much like a Warden?”

“Is it because I didn’t go crazy?” Ally jokes, “maybe you should see me in the old uniform, I’m pretty sure it still fits.”

“Hm,” Bull shrugs, “why didn’t you go crazy?”

She remembers plunging the blade into the dragon’s skull, she feels the corruption leave. There’s a terror she’s wrought on the world for a chance at happiness, “maybe it’s because I killed an archdemon or maybe the mark cancels out the Blight? Who knows.”

“You said the Hero of Ferelden’s tale was a tragedy?”

“Yes.”

Bull makes eye contact with her, “make sure this one doesn’t end up like that.”

Ally spins away from him and sets her jaw, “it’s already become one.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ally is one unlucky girl. Leave your thoughts below!


End file.
